Method for distilling mineral oils



Marh 29, 1932. M. GENSECKE METHOD von ms'rxLLmG MINERAL ons Filed July 12. 1928 /n u n for: MW,

MOR vk \W Patented Mar. 29, 1932 UNITI-:D STATES PATENT oFFlcE METHOD Foa DISTILLING ons `Application led July 12, 1928, Serial No.

This invention relates to a method for distilling mineral oils.

Some of the known methods for the distil:

. lation of mineral oils employ a super-vacuum in order to lower the boiling temperature of the different fractions, thus protecting the oils. It is also knownlto blow steam into the oil during the distillation in order to further decrease the partial pressure of the vapors.` It has now been found that/by suitable faction of water or steam upon the oil to be distilled an effective loosening of the cohesion of the oil molecules, facilitating the distillation, -may be obtained, thereby producing. a colloidal or molecular motion in the oil. When working according to the new method, first an intimate mixture of oil and water is formed. This mixture is heated up to the @temperature necessar forL distillationand brought, before or a ter its flfprmation, under such a high pressure that at rst no water will be eva orated. The mi ture is thenbrought into Ja still, working or example at a super-vacuum. ln that moment the emulsion is suddenly 4released from tension, and evaporation of the water takes place. The great increase in volume which takes place by the sudden transition ofthe water from the liquid into`= the gaseous phase hasthe effect that the oil surrounding the drops of water is intensively expanded and divided into small particles. One may say that in' this moment a great number of-smallexplosions Vtakes place' in the oil, which naturally have av far greater atomizing and distributing action than may be obtained by-.passing steam or water into the oil according to the A known methods. By the new method the oil o surface Yobtained is much greater than in the known methods. But also in the single oil drops a molecular motion is produced, so that 'the single oil molecules-may come more often to the surface of the oil drops, where 4 the distillation takes place. Thus the time necessary for distillation according tothe new method is to a great extent decreased. The still may be filled more or less with 6 eiland the oil water mixture may be intro- 0 duced int the still above or below the oil 292,071, and in Germany August 3, 1927.

level. In order to be able to utilize for th 'distillation process the potential energy of the oil water mixture, standing under a hi h pressure for example 220 atm., the release 1n tension is preferably carried through'in noz- 55 zles in which the potential energy is convert- .ed in kinetic energy. The oil then passes the nozzles with a great velocity, thus im-` proving the distribution of the oil drops and thereby also the distillation. Asthe oil'has 60 often to be heated up to temperatures of about 400 `C. and above, it is preferable to add the water to the oil before preheating it,

in order to obtain a favourable distribution of the water drops in the oil. A pump is 65 then used to bring the oil-water mixture under such a pressure that no steam bubbles are formed during the heatin of the oil. Theformation of steam bubb es'moreover first talps place, when the emulsiefn enters the sti The annexed drawing shows a device for carrying out the new method by Way of example.

1 is an agitator in which the mixture of oil 75 and water is produced by addition of water to the oil. 3 is the stirrerin the agitator. The mixture may also be produced in another way for example by using steam, which is blown into.. the oil and condensedthere, said steam entering the vessel 1 at 2. Apump 4 sets the mixture under the desired pressure. The coil 5 arranged in a super heater 6 heatsA the mixture up to a temperature which is slightly above the distillation temperature corresponding to the vacuum in the still 7. The mixture. of .oil and walter is blown by a nozzle Sinto the still 7. The water is then evaporated, thus providing apgreat distilla tion surface and a vigorous motion of the oil content 9 in the vessel 7. The oil-water mixture may also enter the still y7 below the level of the oil content 9, through pipe 17 and nozzle 10. The produced. steam together with the oil vapor leaves the still by the tube .11 and enters a dephlegmator 12, where the 011 vapors are condensed, the steam passing through the tube 13 to a device 14 for example an injector for increasing the vacuum. The device 14v compresses the steam, which 1004 is then conducted into the condenser 16, where it is condensed. It is however not necessary to work under a super vacuum., One may also produce and introduce the 5 water-oil mixture into the still 7 in a diierent manner.

The main purpose ofn the new method is the heating under presure of the oil-water mixture up to a temperature slightly above 1 distillation temperature, thus obtaining after Athe release of pressure a line distribution of theoil' in the still. Instead of water one ma also use other liquids orrning emulsions or intimate mixtures with oils.

15 I Cla-im:

1. A f method of distilling mineral oils l which comprises preparing an intimate mixture consistin of mineral oil and water, heating said mixture to about the distillation 20 temperature of the oil under a high pressure such that the water content thereof can not vaporize, and suddenly releasing the pressure at that temperaturesuiiciently to cause immediate explosive vaporization of the water,

z5 whereby the mineral oil is caused to become extremely finely divided. e

2. A method ofdistillingmineral o ils which comprises preparing an intimate mixture consisting of mineral oil and water, heating p A:o said mixture toabout the distillation tem:

perature of the' oil under a high pressure such that the Water content thereof can not ,vaporize, and injecting the heated mixture into a vacuum still containing a quantity 35 ofthe oil tobe distilled so as to cause explosive vaporization of the water contained in the mixture.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

MAXIMILIAN GENSECKE. 

